Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care

# Summary 

# About the organization 

This is a joint posting between South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC) and Casey House. The position is funded through SRCHC under the Ministry of Health's Primary Care Action Team funding. The successful candidate will be an employee of SRCHC and a member of the SRCHC bargaining unit (CUPE Local 5399), while all clinical work and day-to-day practice will take place within Casey House’s clinical programming. The role is governed by SRCHC's terms and conditions of employment and operates within Casey House's care environment under their Medical Advisory Committee, working in alignment with their philosophy of care.

About South Riverdale Community Health Centre 

South Riverdale Community Health Centre is a non-profit, multi-service organization that provides primary healthcare, social and community outreach services with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention primarily to people of East Toronto. Our mission is to improve the lives of people that face barriers to physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being. We do so by meaningfully engaging our clients and communities, ensuring equitable access to primary health care and delivering quality care through a range of evidence informed programs, services and approaches. As a leader in community health, our locally and internationally recognized community services include cutting-edge primary health services, health promotion, harm reduction, community food centre and population-based community programs for equity deserving peoples. 

About Casey House 

Casey House is unlike any other hospital. We are a specialty hospital providing ground-breaking holistic care for people living with and at risk of HIV, including: 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities. We offer a growing mix of inpatient, outpatient, and community-based services that meet clients where they are in their individual journeys to health and wellness. Our safe, welcoming, and judgment-free environment promotes a sense of belonging and community, where the humanity of each client is at the heart of everything we do. Every Casey House staff member, peer, and volunteer acts and delivers care to clients in accordance with our purpose, values, and philosophy of care.

# About the position 

This new position, Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care, will be part of a new primary care service at Casey House. The role will help, alongside Casey House’s design team, implement this inaugural service to provide high-quality, client-centered, comprehensive primary health care to people living with and at risk of HIV, with particular attention to 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities, newcomers, and people with complex medical, mental health, and substance use needs. Working onsite within Casey House and employed by SRCHC, the NP functions both independently and as a member of an interprofessional primary care team, emphasizing health promotion, health education, disease prevention, and chronic disease management. The NP will work as part of Casey House’s broader integrated professional team to facilitate integrated, comprehensive care delivery.

The NP delivers care within the RN(EC) scope of practice, performing comprehensive assessments, diagnosing conditions, prescribing treatments, ordering and interpreting diagnostics, and managing care plans. The role consults with physicians and collaborates across both organizations to ensure coordinated, equitable, and stigma-free care. This position has a direct impact on access to and attachment for an under-served, high-need population, advancing health equity and harm reduction across the partnership.

Key Responsibilities 

Direct Client Care

• Conduct comprehensive, client-centered health assessments across the lifespan, including holistic health history, physical examination, and appropriate screening and diagnostic tests, resulting in accurate, individualized care plans. 
• Assess and manage episodic and stable chronic conditions commonly seen in primary care, consulting with physicians when issues present that go beyond the RN(EC) scope of practice. 
• Order, follow up on, and interpret diagnostic tests (e.g., laboratory results and imaging), using clinical expertise to adjust treatment plans to client needs and responses. 
• Prescribe medications and therapies and order laboratory tests within the RN(EC) scope of practice. 
• Apply overdose response and crisis de-escalation skills to keep clients safe and engaged in care. 
• Provide supportive counselling, including preventative counselling, brief supportive counselling, system navigation and/or short-term crisis management, when indicated and when social worker or social service workers are unavailable. 
• Make home visits to clients within the catchment area as necessary and perform back-up clinical functions for other nursing staff in their absence. 
• Ensure standards of client care are maintained according to College of Nurses of Ontario standards, the Regulated Health Professions Act, and the policies of SRCHC and Casey House. 
• Provide culturally responsive, client-centered care for people living with and at risk of HIV, 2SLGBTQIA+ and newcomer communities, Indigenous, Black, and other racialized clients, and people with complex medical, mental health, and substance use needs. 
• Apply anti-oppression, harm reduction, and equity principles in all clinical care, advocating for client rights and health equity. 
• Work from a strength-based, trauma-informed orientation with people who use drugs, people with complex trauma, and people with mental health considerations. 
• Provide clinical leadership in the care of clients with complex medical, psychosocial, mental health, and substance use needs, including coordination with internal teams and external providers. 

Care Coordination and Collaboration

• Collaborate across Casey House programs and departments to support integrated care planning, continuity, and seamless transitions for clients with complex health and social needs. 
• Make internal referrals to other staff, and refer clients to partner organizations, specialists, hospitals, or community resources as appropriate. 
• Participate in case conferences with interdisciplinary team members, partner organizations, and other providers to coordinate services. 
• Participate in interprofessional case reviews to support holistic care planning, identify health promotion priorities, and improve outcomes for clients with complex medical, mental health, substance use, and social needs. 
• Assist clients with transitions to other health care services, ensuring continuity of care. 
• Perform telephone screening as needed, which may include intake, referral, health care advice for acute or chronic conditions, anticipatory guidance, and support for reception. 
• Maintain thorough, complete, and accurate clinical records within the Electronic Health Record (EHR/EMR), sufficient for timely communication with other professionals. 
• Comply with all privacy, confidentiality, and health information regulations and with the privacy and security policies of both organizations. 

Health Promotion & Education

Integrate health promotion principles into each interaction with individuals, families, or groups, using a determinants-of-health approach that recognizes the social and structural inequities shaping access to care.

• Educate clients and their families on health conditions, treatment options, preventive care, lifestyle, nutrition, and available community resources.
• Collaborate within and across teams to identify priority groups and provide tailored health education.
• Develop, adapt, and disseminate accessible health and program information using current communication methods, digital platforms, and client education technologies, and contribute clinical expertise to community engagement, outreach, and program development initiatives.
• Stay current on emerging health care trends, best practices, clinical guidelines, and new treatments, incorporating them into evidence-based practice and adjusting to the evolving needs of the community.
• Contribute to program development, quality improvement, clinical policy development, and organizational initiatives that strengthen equitable and integrated care delivery.
• Support and/or supervise student placements and may perform clinical management tasks such as infection control and maintenance of clinical equipment and supplies.
• Perform other related clinical duties as required to support the functioning of the primary care service.

Independence of Action

The NP functions independently within the full RN(EC) scope of practice, exercising autonomous clinical judgment in assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, and care planning. Physician consultation is sought when clinical issues fall outside the RN(EC) scope. Practice is governed by College of Nurses of Ontario standards, the Regulated Health Professions Act, applicable medical directives,

and the policies of SRCHC and Casey House.

Work Environment and Requirements

Work is performed onsite at Casey House in a clinical care environment but may from time to time include off site work (for example, home visit). Work pace at times is difficult to control; work involves unpredictable daily interruptions. Work occurs during the hours of operation of the clinic. Occasional evenings and weekends will be required. Work involves direct client contact, periods of standing and sitting, and the physical demands typical of a clinical setting. Standard clinical and office equipment is used, including an Electronic Health Record system. Casey House and SRCHC encourage a scent-free environment; staff are asked to refrain from wearing fragrances and scented personal care products onsite.

# Qualifications

 Education and Experience

• Graduate degree in nursing from a recognized university.
• Current registration as a Registered Nurse in the Extended Class (RN-EC) with the College of Nurses of Ontario, in good standing, with a certificate of continuing competence.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for Healthcare Providers.
• Minimum 3–5 years of clinical experience in a community setting, or a combination of community experience and relevant hospital or public health nursing; outpatient, community-based, and/or primary care experience preferred.
• Demonstrated clinical expertise managing complex medical conditions, including mental health and substance use disorders, and experience providing care to diverse populations, including 2SLGBTQIA+ and HIV-positive communities.
• Overdose response and crisis de-escalation experience considered an asset.

Technical Skills

• Thorough, current nursing knowledge and proficiency in conducting a comprehensive health history, physical assessment, and construction of a nursing management plan.
• Proficiency in the use of computer technology, Electronic Health Record/EMR systems, and various software applications. Familiarity with EPIC is considered an asset.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and excellent organizational and administrative skills.

Additional Skills and Competencies

• Clinical practice from a trauma-informed, anti-oppression framework that actively works from a social justice perspective to identify, intervene with, and address social inequities, with particular emphasis on the social determinants of health.
• Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge of community-based health care, and strong interest in issues affecting people who are homeless, living with mental illness and/or substance use, and complex health needs.
• Ability to deal effectively with people experiencing crisis, mental health challenges, and/or diverse cultural interpretations of health.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively, collaboratively, and respectfully in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Respect for diversity, equity, anti-racism, and accessibility, with the ability to work positively with others.
• Police clearance documentation will be required for employment.
• Proof of double COVID-19 vaccination status will be required for employment.